Hova and that Hyphen! Jay Z Changes His Name — Again

Ahead of the release of his upcoming album, 4:44, which will be released on June 30, a Roc Nation rep for the rapper told Pitchfork said he’s gone back to using a hyphen in his name and he wants it stylized in all caps: JAY-Z.

Hova’s hyphen is a disappearing reappearing thing. Born Shawn Carter, the 47-year-old superstar adopted Jay-Z in tribute to his music mentor, Jaz-O. However, when Magna Carta Holy Grail was released in 2013, he got rid of the hyphen. Now that he’s a daddy of three — and about to drop his new album on Tidal — it’s back and uppercase.

While Jay has big things happening professionally (he was just inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame), even bigger is what’s happening on the home front. Beyoncé gave birth to their twins last week. We haven’t seen photos of the pair yet (said to be a boy and a girl) because they are still hospitalized. According to TMZ, the preemies have a “minor issue,” which has them “under the lights.” Meaning, they are under “Bili lights,” bright blue fluorescent lights located over the baby’s incubator typically used to treat jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes).

Well, if the babies are still there on June 30, there is going to be one heckuva album release party in the neonatal unit. But will he sign autographs for the doctor and nurses with or without the hyphen?